Delhi Defies Social Distancing, Doctors Say Brace For COVID-19 'Explosion'

Doctors have cautioned that a race towards resuming business would compromise vaccination efforts as only about 5% of all eligible adults have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

In national capital Delhi, thousands of commuters crowded into underground train stations and shopping malls on Tuesday, prompting some doctors to warn it could lead to a resurgence in COVID-19 infections. Major Indian cities have begun lifting strict lockdowns as the nationwide tally of new infections has dropped to its lowest level in more than two months But disease experts and doctors have cautioned that a race towards resuming business as usual would compromise vaccination efforts as only about 5% of all 950 million eligible adults have been inoculated. Doctors say Delhi's near-complete re-opening is concerning. The city's authorities have said they would reimpose strict curbs if cases rise. Thousands died in the capital in May, as oxygen supplies all but vanished and families pleaded on social media over scarce hospital beds.